Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Monday hinted that Israel could strike Iranian targets outside Syria.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quoted Lieberman as saying: “We aren’t limiting ourselves to Syria. That should be clear.”
Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem, the hardline defense minister did not elaborate on the nature of the Iranian targets that Israel might attack.
In recent months, Israel has admitted to striking a number of Iranian targets inside Syrian territory.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s army is on high alert in anticipation of a potential U.S. attack.The U.S. is reportedly in preparation to launch strikes against more than 20 positions of Assad regime forces.On the other hand, Israel conducted a string of missile attacks against five of Assad’s military bases, including Mezzeh Military Airport, and the Syrian army’s 4th, 10th and 66th division early on Sunday morning. The strikes were fired from Israeli military aircrafts in Golan Heights.According to reports, Bashar al-Assad’s brother Maher Assad was wounded during the raids, and 25 Syrian army troops and 45 Shia militias were killed, including Iranian Revolutionary Guards General Marasad al-Mizani.US will first target major air basesSpeaking to Yeni Safak daily, Syrian army Colonel Abu Firas stated that the U.S. would first hit Assad’s eight major air bases, notably Tifur and Homs airport, in case of any possible Idlib attack.“Israel’s bombings were signal flares. The U.S. in waiting in ambush for a more comprehensive attack. The Syrian army is on offensive mode against a possible U.S. attack, and the joint air defense system of Russia-Syria is on red alert,” he said, adding that the U.S. was planning to strike over 20 points of the regime in Syria.Damascus has said that the U.S. is preparing to falsify a chemical attack to justify a military operation in Syria.U.S., British and French forces launched air strikes on Syria in response to a suspected poison gas attack that killed dozens of people in April.Idlib and areas surrounding it are the last major enclave held by groups opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is is preparing a phased offensive to regain the province.Syrian forces hide among civiliansHe said that following Russia’s intelligence warning, Syrian troops positioned in strategic bases in Homs, Damascus and Quneitra were being evacuated.Stressing that Assad’s forces disguise themselves as civilians, “They stay among civilians in the evenings and come back to their bases in the mornings,” said Firas.Constant vigilance at Iranian bases Forces were placed on high alert at nine large bases belonging to Iranian Shia militias and the Revolutionary Guards at Quneitra, Deir ez-Zor, Aleppo, Damascus and Homs.“Mezzeh was one of the most important points where the Iranian-developed Fajr missiles were positioned. Missile platforms and some Fajr rockets were destroyed on Sunday night. The Mezzeh base is being used as headquarters of Shia militias. Additionally, Fajr-3 and Fajr-5 missile platforms were deployed at the Mezzeh Airport.”“The Fajr-3 missiles have a range of 50 kilometers and Fajr-5 missile’s estimated range is 80 kilometers. Hence, these missiles have the capability to strike northern Israel. There are also huge underground tunnels between Mezzeh and the Presidential Palace. They were hiding a vast amount of ammunition and weapons there, but a great deal of the missiles and artillery have been destroyed during Israel’s attack.”Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.
‘US is preparing to strike over 20 regime positions in Syria’
Millions of Palestinian refugees "cannot simply be wished away", the head of a U.N. support agency said on Monday, hitting back at a U.S. aid cutoff and allegations its work only perpetuates their plight.The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) provides services to about 5 million Palestinian refugees across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank and Gaza. Most are descendants of some 700,000 Palestinians who were driven out of their homes or fled fighting in the 1948 war that led to Israel's creation.The growing refugee count was cited by Washington, UNRWA's biggest donor, in its decision last week to withhold funding, and has potential ramifications for the Palestinians' pursuit of a right of return to land now in Israel.Successive Israeli governments have ruled out such an influx, fearing the country would lose its Jewish majority.Confederation to ‘liquidate’ Palestinian cause: Hamas"I express deep regret and disappointment at the nature of the U.S. decision," UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl said in an open letter to Palestinian refugees and the agency's staff in which he pledged its operations would continue.Appearing to echo Israel's view that descendants of the 1948 refugees should not share that status, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert criticised UNRWA on Friday over its "endlessly and exponentially expanding community of entitled beneficiaries".Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described UNRWA on Sunday as "the refugee perpetuation agency" whose money "should be taken and be used to really help rehabilitate the refugees, whose real number is a sliver of that reported by UNRWA".But Krahenbuhl said "the protracted nature of the Palestine refugee crisis" was not unique. He said the children and grandchildren of long-displaced refugees in Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Congo and elsewhere are also recognised as refugees and assisted by the United Nations.Palestine still believes in 2-state solution: AbbasSCHOOLS OPEN"No matter how often attempts are made to minimise or delegitimise the individual and collective experiences of Palestine refugees, the undeniable fact remains that they have rights under international law and represent a community of 5.4 million men, women and children who cannot simply be wished away," he said.The United States paid out $60 million to UNRWA in January, withholding another $65 million, from a promised $365 million for the year. Krahenbuhl said Gulf states had injected funds but UNRWA still needed more than $200 million.In Lebanon on Monday, UNRWA opened its school year as scheduled. Studies in UNRWA-run schools in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip got under way on Wednesday.Arab League slams US aid cut to UN Palestine agencyClaudio Cordone, director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, told Reuters that funds would last only until the end of the month but the agency would continue to raise money to ensure the schools remain open.Washington's move against UNRWA was the latest in a series of U.S. and Israeli policy decisions that have angered Palestinians and raised international concern.They include Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December, the moving of the U.S. Embassy to the contested city in May and Israel's adoption of a "nation-state" law in July that says only Jews have the right of self-determination in the country. Turkey slams US decision to cut UNRWA funding
UNRWA chief defends refugee criteria for millions of Palestinians
Israel's defence minister signalled on Monday it could attack suspected Iranian military assets in Iraq, as it has done by carrying out scores of air strikes in civil war-torn Syria."We are certainly monitoring everything that is happening in Syria, and regarding Iranian threats we are not limiting ourselves just to Syrian territory. This also needs to be clear," Avigdor Lieberman told a conference in Jerusalem.Asked if this included Iraq, where sources told Reuters that Iran has given ballistic missiles to Shi’ite proxies, Lieberman responded: "I am saying that we will contend with any Iranian threat, and it doesn't matter from where it comes ... Israel's freedom is total. We retain this freedom of action." 
Israel signals it could target Iranian military assets in Iraq
At least seven foreign artists, including Swedish and South African artists, decided to boycott the Meteor Music Festival in Israel. Many foreign singers canceled their participation to the Meteor Music Festival to be held on Sept. 6- 8, including the U.S. singer Lana Del Rey according to the Israeli Walla news website.Artists canceled their participations as part of the Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.Meanwhile, the Znobia and Khalas music groups put together by Israeli Palestinian origin Israelis will boycott the Meteor Music Festival.BDS is a global campaign devoted to pressuring Israel -- economically and politically -- to end its ongoing violations of international law.Israeli gov’t minister calls for ‘liquidation’ of HamasIsrael troops hurt 10 Palestinians during Ramallah demoIsraeli troops fire on Gaza protesters, wounding 52
World-famous artists boycott Israeli music festival
At least one Palestinian was injured on Sunday when Israeli naval forces opened fire on 50 boats carrying Palestinians from Gaza to breach the maritime blockade of the coastal strip.Scores of Gazans boarded 50 boats with the intention of sailing off the coast of the Gaza Strip in defiance of an Israeli-imposed sea blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave.According to an eyewitness, the Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinians wounding a young Palestinian.Since March, more than 170 people have been martyred and thousands more injured by Israeli army fire during protests against the decades-long Israeli occupation and an 11-year blockade on the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly 2 million inhabitants of basic commodities.No deal with Hamas before captives returned: Israeli PM
Israeli navy injures Palestinian during boat protest